Wheel.



No. 699,756. Patented May I3, |902.

C. L. HORACK.

WHEEL.

(Application led Mar. 30, 1897.)

(N0 Model.)

UNrrnn dramas Parenti* FFICE.

onARLRs L. nORAOK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AssieNoR To RURUs M. wiLLIAMs, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,756, dated May 13, 1902. Application filed March 30, 1897. Serial No. 629,942. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern: i along line 3 3 in Fig. lgFig. 4, a longitudinal Beit known that I, CHARLES L. HORACK, a section along line 4 4 in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5, citizen of the United States, anda resident of such a section along line 5 5 in Fig. 2, where Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of the end of a spoke is located in such plane. 5 New York, have invented certain new and Fig. 6 shows a crosssection of another' felly useful Improvements in Wheels, of which the and parts connecting therewith embodying following is a specification. some of the leading features of my invention. My invention refers to wheels in general, In carrying out the'more important parts and more particularly to wheels to be used on of my invention I employ in the construction 6o Io light vehicles having to support only moderof the felly laminze, preferably made of wood ate loads, such as bicycle-wheels, and espeand so shaped and jointed together that becially to their fellies, tires, and spokes and tween them there will be formed one or more to the means for securing and adjusting said spaces or chambers, which should be closed parts in proper relations to each other. to the atmosphere, so as to exclude dirt and 65 The objects of my invention are to properly moisture therefrom.

construct fellies of light materials-'such as Referring rst to Figs. l to 5, inclusive, F wood, paper, or the like*and to so dispose of is a wheel-felly consisting of laminas (indisuch materials that said fellies, while possesscated by o, b, c, d, e, f, g, 7L, ,j, 7c, and Z) ingsucient strength to resist usual and even suitably gluedor cemented together. All 7o 2o abnormal strains, may nevertheless be very said laminae, excepting a and l, are shown to light in weight; also, to suitably attach the be constructed with substantially trapezoidspokes to the felly and in such manner that ical cross-sections, while that of lamina a is the union of various integral portions of which in the form ofa sector and that of lamina l is said felly may consist shall be further se- Ushaped,the outersurfacesofall the laminze 75 cured and that it may be reinforced by the being made curving, so as to conform with spokes and their securing devices. the circular or otherwise curving outline of j Further objects are to provide in proper rethe cross-section of the felly. It will be seen, lation to the felly suitable elastic cushioning particularly from Figs. 2 and 3, that laminas devices, whereby shocks produced by the paso to it', inclusive, are arranged in two groups, 8o 3o sage of the wheel over obstructions may be substantially the whole of laminze l), o, d, e, moderated or neutralized before reaching the and f being located on one side of a vertical felly, and to protect the joints between difplane placed centrally withv reference to the ferent sections orlamine embodied in a felly outline of the cross-section of the felly and against contact with moisture or other agenlaminze f, h, t', j, and 7c being placed on the 8: cies adapted to injuriously affect the same. other side, the main joints in one group slop- Iaccomplish these and other useful objects ing toward those inV the other group, the inby the means hereinafter described, and set terior ends of some of said laminas being, forth more partioularlyin the claims. however, made to cross said plane in such In the accompanying drawings, forming manner that the end portion of one lamina 9o 4o part of this specification, and wherein correwill'be held in contact with the side of one sponding letters of reference throughout the lamina and the end surface of another one different views refer to corresponding parts, and that the joint between said two groups Figure l is an elevation of a wheel constructwill cross and recross said plane, wherebyined according to my invention, laininze comterlocking of the inner ends of the laminzeiu 95 posing the felly of the wheel appearing exthe two groups will be accomplished and a posed in the lower left-hand quarter thereof, splitting of the felly in such plane will be while the remaining figures, drawn to an enguarded against. Laminzectand Z beingmade larged scale, represent sections of fellies and to extend symmetrically to both sides of said connecting parts constructed according to my central plane tend to still further unite said rco 5o invention. ThusFig. 2 shows a cross-section two groups of laminze.

along line 2 2 in Fig. l; Fig. 3, a cross-section As I desire to avoid the uso, in combination with my fellies, of the large inflatable pneumatic tires now in common use on bicycle- Wheels, I give to my felly, combined with a light elastic tire,as I propose to employ,a crosssection of such depth as will insure proper strength and rigidity, and in order to at the same ti me reduce the weight ofthe felly as far as safe and practicable I provide spaces or pockets in its interior portions where the material thus abstracted would least contribute to its strength. For this purpose I provide suitable recesses and perforations in the laminze, depressions in laminze d and b together forming pockets PQ depressions in laminze @and d forming pockets P2, depressions in e and f forming pockets P3, depressions in lamin d and h, together with perforations in lamina g, forming pockets P4, and depressions in laminae i and 7c, together with perforations in laminaj, forming pockets P5.

S S aud S S' are the spokes, indicated here to be made of wire. They maybe connected with the hub H in any suitable manner, but preferably are each placed at a slight angle with the vertical central plane of the Wheel, so as to have the interior ends of alternate spokes connect with opposite ends of hub H,

vthus connecting, for instance, the interior ends of spokes S S with the right-hand end of said hub and those of the alternate spokes S' with its left-hand end. This is the arrangement now commonly employed in bicycle-wheels. As wire spokes are not adapted to resist compression to any considerable extent, it will be seen that the Weight of the rider and the vehicle where such spokes are used must principally be transferred from the hubs of the wheels through the spokes above them to the upper part of the felly and from there downward along and through said felly to the point of contact with the ground, and I accordingly so connect the spokes with the felly that every spoke at the time that the hub is suspended thereon will properly transfer the strain produced thereby upon the whole of the felly. For that purpose I pass the outer thickened portions of the spokes through lamina a as Well as through all the other laminae placed on one side of the vertical central plane only, thus passing spokes S through laminze a, h, c, d, c, and f and spokes S through laminze d, g, h, t', j, and 7c, deflecting the outer ends of the spokes sufficiently to place the same at right angles to the main joints between said laminze. Said spokes are screw-threaded at their outer ends, where flanged nuts N, resting on washers NV, engage with the same, and are also screwthreaded at a; above the points where they curve before entering the body of the felly, screw-threaded sleeves Y, made bell-shaped, so as to accommodate themselves to such curvature, resting on yielding or spring Washers V, being made to engage therewith in such manner that they may be employed as setnuts after proper tension has been imparted to the spokes through the instrumentality of nuts N.

R represents a tube or packing around the portion of the spoke within the body of the felly. The saine is preferably made of elastic material, such as rubber, and is employed to prevent the cutting of the laminze by the spoke and to moderate shocks imparted to them by the latter. At the points opposite where spokes S and S penetrate lamina f and 7c, respectively, the end of lamina lis cut out, as at z, to make said spokes and nuts N accessible.

It is important to make the body of the felly solid where the spokes pass through it, as shown in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, so as to prevent springing of the laminzc Where strain is so applied to them and to give to the spokes and their packings R a solid and continuous lateral support within the body of the felly, and this will compel either total or partial interruption of the continuity of pockets P P2, rbc. Thus in Fig. 2 pockets P and P3 appear interrupted entirely Where spoke S passes through the felly, while pocket P2 at this point appears reduced in cross-section, pockets P and P3 under these circumstances extending only within spaces between neighboring spokes S S. Similar conditions are indicated in Fig. 5 with reference to pockets Pl P4 and P5 P5. W'hile in the above-described figures the pockets on the two sides of the central vertical plane of the felly are shown to be of different configurations, they are intended to be and are proportioned so as to have the weight of the felly or of the wheel balanced with reference thereto. Generally speaking, and particularly where the laminas are symmetrical with reference to said plane, it will be well to arrange the pockets on both sides of said plane symmetrically thereto and to theaXle of the wheel as far as the location of the spokes Will permit.

T is an elastic tire of U-shaped cross-section, made of rubber, leather, or similar material and having its edges inserted in suitable grooves G upon the outer surface of lamina l, whereby a pneumatic cushion is formed between these parts, while U represents a shoe made of rubber with roughened surfaces, leather, or similar material, having a proper outer contact-surface and so cemented or otherwise secured to theouter surfaces of tire T and felly F as to cover the former completely as well as the joints between the laminze comprised in the latter. Thus said shoe will not only serve to reinforce the tire, but also to protect said joints and to contribute toward firmly tying together the laminzc in the Wheel.

In Fig. 6, m, n, o, p, and q are laminze extending symmetrically to both sides of the central vertical plane of the felly F. By perforating lamina m and grooving out the remaining laminae pockets P6, P, PS, and P9 are formed within the felly, as shown. A metal- IOO IIO

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lic shoe R, with suitable head at its lower end, is shown to be inserted from the outer surface of the felly in line with spoke Sil and to be screwthreaded at its upper end interiorly to engage with the screw-threaded end of said spoke and exteriorly to engage with a set-nut Y', whereby7 proper tension of said spoke can be effected and the laminse will be rmly tied together. T is a rubber or leather tire cemented to the sides of the lower laminze and so curved and of such stiffness as to leave at all times an air space or cushion between it and lamina q and extending over the joints between laminze o, p, and q and having its upperends projeetinward into the body of the felly. Corresponding pockets on both sides of the central vertical plane of the felly-as, for instance, P5 and PT-might be consolidated and made continuous, in which case a plug Q., made of wood, paper, rubber, or the like, should be placed in a position, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 6around tube R so as to thereby properly stay lamine m and o opposite points where spokes connect with the felly.

I do not wish to confine myself to the relative arrangements of the various parts and the details shown and described herein, as various changes and modifications may be made by those skilled in the-,art without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a homogeneous felly comprising laminas suitably joined together and provided with an interior chamber between such laminze, and a suitable tire around such felly.

2. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly comprising laminas suitably joined together and containing a pocket closed to the atmosphere, one of the laminas, where it faces an adjoining lamina being provided with a depression for the purpose of forming such pocket.

3. In a Wheel the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly comprisinglaminae suitably joined together and containing a pocket, one of the interior lamin where it faces adjoining laminze being perforated for the purpose of forming such pocket.

4. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly comprising laminze suitably joined together and containing apocket,

one of the interior lamine being perforated and an adjoining lamina where it faces such perforation being provided with a depression on its face, whereby such pocket is formed.

5. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly into which the spokes are inserted, a chamber being formed in the felly between two spokes and the portions of the felly adjoining said spokes and to which said chamber extends being left solid.

,6. In a wheel the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly, comprising a series of laminre inclosing internal chambers between interior surfaces of such laminae and disposed symmetrically around such felly.

7. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly comprising laminas suitably joined together, such laminze sloping toward each other Vand toward the central vertical plane of the wheel and being joined together at both sides of said plane.

S. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly comprising two groups of laminze sloping toward each other and toward the central vertical plane of the wheel and other laminze secured to laminze in both of said groups.

fl. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly having interior pockets provided at both sides of its central vertical plane, such felly being made solid along such plane.

l0. In a wheel,the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly comprising a series of laminee, tension-rods passing through such felly, and means for increasing the tension of such rods independent of the tension of the portions of the spokes between felly and hub.

1l. In awheel, the combination Withits hub and its felly, of a spoke passing through the felly, such spoke being deected near the point where it enters the felly and a hood inclosing portions of the spoke at both sides of the point of deflection.

12. In a wheel,the combination withits hub, of a felly comprising laminze suitably joined together, spokes passing through the same, and tubes independent of the securing de- Vices of the spokes placed around said spokes and extending into adjoining laminze.

13. In a wheel,the combination with its hub, of a felly comprising laminae suitably joined together, spokes passing through the same and elastic paokings around the spokes and extending into adjoining laminze.

14. In a wheel,the combination with its hub, of a felly hollowed out interiorly, and spokes passing through said felly, the felly being' made solid where the spokes pass through the same.

15. In a wheel, the combination with its hub and spokes, of a felly, a U-shaped tire having :its edges extend into the body of the felly and a shoe secured to said tire and tothe outer surface of the felly.

16. In a wheel, the combination with its hub andspokes, of a felly comprisinglaminae suit,- ably joined together, and a shoe along the outer surface of the felly and extending over the joints between the laminee and along the bearing portion of the wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name,1in presence of two witnesses, this 29th day of March, 1897.

CHARLES L. I'IORACK.

Witnesses:

WM. J. PARSONS, A. M. Pinnen.

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